Plastic. A dangerous pollutant or a solution to a problem that was negatively affecting the natural world? If your children are being told to feel guilty about using plastic, have them watch this animated episode to learn about Leo Baekeland, the Belgian chemist who developed the first synthetic plastic, Bakelite – a revolutionary discovery that was developed so humans wouldn’t have to use products made from animals on the verge of extinction and could instead help the environment while also meeting people’s needs.